One of Atlanta’s first farm-to-table restaurants, Radial dishes up healthy and delicious kid-friendly food and stays open for dinner patrons Thurs.-Sat. Parents will like the industrial-diner vibe, and kids will love the cleverly named menu items and thoughtful touches such as paper bags and crayons to make reusable puppets. Great tip for parents with fidgety kids like our 8-year-old son: Put your name on the call-ahead list to avoid a wait, especially on weekends.

What’s on the menu: Sample a brunch special, such as guava cream cheese french toast or strawberry pancakes. Save room for arguably Atlanta’s best cinnamon roll with cream cheese icing ($3.49), which we split three ways after devouring our brunch entrées. Lunch options include meat and veggie burgers, salads, and sandwiches ($7 and up). Dinner includes entrées such as bbq beef brisket with Dr. Pepper bbq sauce and house-made fries.

Why parents will like it: Radial is Atlanta’s only Green Restaurant Association certified farm-to-table restaurant. The menu features vegetarian and vegan dishes, but there are also meat options. The restaurant’s composts, recycles and uses biodegradable takeout boxes, cups and straws. Radial is as easy on your wallet as it is on the environment. Kids eat free on weekdays with the purchase of an adult entree. Radial also serves beer, wine and organic cocktails. I love the shadegrown Nicaraguan coffee, which was promptly refilled during our recent brunch.

Why kids will like it: The kids’ menu includes pancakes with chocolate chips, a hamburger or grilled chicken biscuit sandwich, cheese quesadilla and grilled cheese sandwich. Our son didn’t even have time to get hungry while waiting for his eggs and bacon. The server brought out samples of chocolate-chip banana bread, and our order arrived just a few minutes later. Radial has a sunny outdoor patio, and several cozy booths with power outlets for charging electronic devices. With its laid-back atmosphere, Radial is also a perfect spot for frazzled kids and parents to recharge their batteries!

Additional Tip: On Fridays, kids eat free. 10 and under; one free kids meal per adult purchase.

The Details

1530 DeKalb Ave. NE, Atlanta 30307
404-659-6594; radialcafe.com
Mon.- Wed: 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.; Thur.- Fri: 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m.;
Sat. 8:30 a.m.- 10 p.m.; Sun. 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

– Karen Robbins